U.S. prosecutors deny making immunity promises in FTX partner case

According to Cryptopolitan, former U.S. federal prosecutor Danielle Sassoon firmly denied ever promising immunity to Michelle Bond, a partner of former FTX executive Ryan Salame, during a high-stakes evidence hearing at the Manhattan federal court. During the hearing, Sassoon testified about the guilty plea of Ryan Salame, the former co-CEO of FTX Digital Markets, who was sentenced to over seven years in prison for his plea. Further scrutiny of this former FTX executive and his then-girlfriend Michelle Bond has led Sassoon to face campaign finance allegations. "I had no intention to set a trap or coerce anyone into pleading guilty," Sassoon stated regarding Bond being prosecuted after Salame's guilty plea.

Bond is one of the last few associates involved in the criminal case against former FTX executives, and she is seeking to dismiss the charges, arguing that the prosecutors "induced Salame's guilty plea." Bond has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to make illegal campaign contributions, facilitating and accepting excessive campaign contributions, facilitating and receiving illegal corporate contributions, and facilitating and receiving conduit contributions.